88 ADVICE FROM ALUMS EDUCATION KATIE DEHN Class of 2006 Senior Video Editor 52 Watt Studios Grandville, Michigan “Internships are key, not only to bolstering your resume, but to giving you opportunities to test out various career paths and getting invaluable real- world experience. While on campus, take business classes. These classes will expose you to new students you would most likely not be seated next to in a film class and will broaden your understanding of the world and how any industry works.” A.J. BEDARD Class of 2017 Editor Project X/AV Burbank, California “For current and future students, my biggest piece of advice is to get involved and stay driven. Having the determination to learn new skills and make connections will help you immensely, making you more valuable as a content creator. Many experiences, such as elective classes, small projects, and involvement with campus clubs contributed to my success in L.A., so the more involved you are, the better you set yourself up for opportunities. And once you reach a new level of success, always be looking for the next move up.” BOBBY NIELSEN Class of 2014 Creative Services & Production Manager, Promotions Office Grand Valley State University Allendale, Michigan “Find opportunities outside of class! It could be anything from getting involved with student media, making connections with the local community in Grand Rapids, to freelancing on the weekends; maybe shoot a wedding or two during the summer. The more experience you get, the more confident you’ll be in your work.” CALEB HILL Class of 2016 Colorist Lord and Thomas Chicago, Illinois “My advice for getting the most out of school would be to absorb as much as you can out of your classes. You never know when something that doesn’t seem relevant actually is; there’s inspiration and usefulness in everything. An extreme way of describing this is, let’s say you want to be a Director of Photography. Yes, taking the cinema classes will, of course, help, but if you managed to get in a physics class and learned how light works scientifically, it might change how you look at the image and your understanding of lighting and filming. This same kind of idea, I think, is relevant in classes that are within the same major.” MELISSA BOUWMAN Class of 1994 Digital Art & Animation Teacher Crossroads School for Arts & Sciences Santa Monica, California “GO TO OFFICE HOURS and spend time with your GVSU professors. They are incredible resources for you! They are smart, experienced, witty, and awesome. They will be able to better advocate for you as a letter writer or reference if they know you well. Just attending their class and creating the project work doesn’t give them a fully rounded picture of who you are.” GREGG MCNEILL Class of 1996 Wet Plate Collodion and Alternative Process Photographer Darkbox Images Falkirk, United Kingdom “1. Take a business management course. I wish I had. Learning how a business is run will inform how you manage your freelance career. 2. Learn how to cook. Eating well is really important and feeding others is one of the most fulfilling things you can do. 3. The people you associate and do business with reflect upon you. Others will form an opinion of you based on who you associate with. 4: Find a Mentor. Nothing in your career will be more important.” 1 2 4 3 5 6
